Meaning & use
baptize or baptise
Last updated
Meanings
verbtransitive
To perform the Christian ceremony in which water is used to welcome someone into the church.
Grammar: Takes an object: baptize the baby. Often used in the passive: She was baptized as a child.
Patterns
- baptize someone
- be baptized as a baby
- baptize someone in the church
The priest baptized the baby on Sunday morning.
She was baptized in the village church when she was three months old.
They decided to baptize their son during the summer holidays.
verbtransitivefigurative
To give someone a name or nickname, especially in a formal or memorable way.
Grammar: Takes an object and often a name: baptize someone 'the king of pop'.
Patterns
- baptize someone something
The press baptized him the fastest man in the world.
Her friends baptized her 'the queen of cakes' after she won the baking contest.
Word forms
| third person singular | baptizes |
|---|---|
| past tense | baptized |
| past participle | baptized |
| -ing form | baptizing |
Common combinations
- baptize a baby
- They plan to baptize the baby next month.
- be baptized a Catholic
- He was baptized a Catholic but later changed churches.
- baptize someone in the river
- Some churches baptize people in the river.
Synonyms and how they differ
- christen
- Often used for naming a baby at a Christian ceremony; 'baptize' focuses on the water ritual itself.
Word family
Commonly confused: baptize or baptise or baptise?
baptize or baptise vs baptise
This is simply the British spelling of the same word; do not mix it with 'baptize' in one text.
Practice
Which sentence uses the correct American spelling?
Choose one answer.
American English uses 'baptize' with a 'z'. 'Baptise' is British, 'baptis' is a misspelling, and 'babtize' swaps the letters.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “baptize or baptise”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.